Toy Reviews by Materials

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is one of the most commonly used materials in toys. ABS is used for parts that require a harder edge and sharper details, such as armor on a mech. The LEGO brick is a good example of ABS plastic.

Before it was found to be deadly, Lead was a common material used in toy making. Banned in the US in 1978, Lead has been the source of many safety recalls of toys. The most famous of which was the Matchbox Voltron Lion set, which was recalled due to led paint in the 80s.

Plastic is a material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organics that are malleable and can be molded into solid objects of diverse shapes. We use this term when we don't know which specific plastic is used to make a toy.

Polyoxymethylene (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde, is an engineering thermoplastic used in precision parts requiring high stiffness, low friction and excellent dimensional stability.

Resin casting is used to produce collectible and customized toys and figures like designer toys, garage kits and ball-jointed dolls, as well as scale models, either individual parts or entire models of objects like trains, aircraft or ships.

Soft vinyl, while similar to PVC, is actually a bit different. Known in Japan as Sofubi, Soft Vinyl is a PVC powder suspended in a resin-like matrix. It is typically roto-casted, and toys made from soft vinyl are typically hollow.